The Trucker Newspaper - November 1, 2018

4 • November 1-14, 2018 Nation
THETRUCKER.COM
American Trucking Associations releases names of 34
finalists for 2019-2020 America’s Road Team captains
THE TRUCKER NEWS SERVICES
ARLINGTON, Va. — The American
Trucking Associations has released the list of
34 professional truck drivers named as finalists
for the 2019-2020 term of America’s Road
Team.
“ATA believes the men and women who
work safely day after day to deliver our goods
— truck drivers — are the best representatives
of the trucking industry and we are inspired by
the finalists for the upcoming class of America’s
Road Team,” said ATA President and
CEO Chris Spear. “Throughout the evaluation
process, we read and heard stories from truck
drivers about pride, courage, and selflessness
— the kinds of stories we are excited to share
with the public, media and elected officials.”
America’s Road Team, a group of professional
truck drivers with superior safety records,
was created in 1986 to represent the
trucking industry and is sponsored by Volvo
Trucks North America. Captains, with support
from their companies, dedicate a few days
each month to attend industry events, speak at
schools, or meet policymakers on behalf of the
trucking industry.
The 34 finalists advance to the final round
of the selection process to be held January 27-
30 in Arlington, Virginia.
A panel of evaluators, including industry
officials and trucking news media representatives,
will judge the contenders on their knowledge
of the trucking industry, dedication to
safety, ability to communicate the industry’s
messages, and overall safe driving record. The
finalists, with a combined total of 90 million
safe-driving miles and 946 years as professional
truck drivers, are highway safety experts
eager to share their experiences with the motoring
public, Spear said.
The newly chosen 2019-2020 America’s
Road Team will be announced on January 30
following a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington.
New captains, after receiving their signature
navy blue America’s Road Team blazers,
will begin working to share the industry’s
message of safety, essentiality and sustainability
with the motoring public, media, business
groups, public officials and their fellow truck
drivers around the country.
Captains from the 2017-2018 America’s
Road Team and previous teams continue to
serve as ambassadors to the industry and are
called upon frequently to participate in safety
events, speaking appearances and industry
conferences.
“The trucking industry has millions of
truck drivers who work tirelessly to safely deliver
goods to our communities, so it is a major
responsibility to represent that workforce as
an America’s Road Team Captain,” said ATA
COO and Executive Vice President of Industry
Affairs Elisabeth Barna. “These finalists, and
all the nominees, are valuable representatives
for our industry and we are looking forward
to meeting them in January and welcoming a
new team to join the proud legacy of being an
America’s Road Team Captain.”
Courtesy: VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA
The American Trucking Associations America’s Road Team is sponsored by Volvo Trucks.
Captains for 2019-2020 will be chosen in January.
To be nominated to serve as an America’s
Road Team Captain, professional truck drivers
must be employed or leased to an ATA member
company. Each nominee should have an excellent
safety record and should demonstrate an
ability to communicate his or her commitment
to safety and passion for the industry. Nominees
should also portray a positive image of the
professional truck driver in all that they do.
This year’s finalists hail from 22 different
states, haul a diverse assortment of products
and materials, and range from short-haul drivers
to over-the-road drivers operating in all of
the lower 48 states. The finalists represent a
cross-section of the industry with experience
ranging from 6 years to 55 years as professional
truck drivers with anywhere from 600,000 to
6.9 million safe driving miles.
The finalists, the companies for which they
drive and their hometowns are:
Ronald Baird, Hoffman Transportation/
G&D Trucking; Thorntown, Indiana,
William C. Bennett III, UPS Freight, Maytown,
Pennsylvania; Dale Brenaman, UPS
Freight, Stamping Ground, Kentucky; Sammy
Brewster, ABF Freight, Powder Springs, Georgia;
Jorge Chavez, Jetco Delivery, Houston;
Timothy Chelette, Big G Express, Murfreesboro,
Tennessee;
James Clark, Penske Logistics, Otter
Lake, Michigan; April Coolidge, USA Truck,
Mint Hill, North Carolina; Scott Davis, ABF
Freight, Kearney, Missouri; Jesse Wayne
Dennis, Prime Inc., Springfield, Missouri;
Ken Duncan, Walmart Transportation, Gorham,
Maine; Douglas Frombaugh, FedEx
Freight, Carlisle, Pennsylvania; William
Goins, Old Dominion Freight Line, Cloverdale,
Indiana; Billy Hambrick, Werner Enterprises,
Yoder, Wyoming; Russell James,
YRC Freight, Bonner, Montana; and Ronnie
Luckadoo, UPS Freight, Forest City, North
Carolina.
Also, Gary Martin, FedEx Ground, Galt,
California; William McNamee, Carbon Express,
Christopher, Illinois; Dave Peterson,
FedEx Ground, Blaine, Minnesota; Tine Peterson,
FedEx Ground, Blaine, Minnesota;
Brian Petrovcic, ABF Freight, McAlisterville,
Pennsylvania; Robert Preston, Werner Enterprises,
Winder, Georgia; Roger Price, TCW
Inc., Olive Branch, Mississippi; Jeff Rose,
YRC Freight, Creston, Ohio; Rodney Rutledge,
FedEx Freight, La Union, New Mexico;
Richard Slack Jr., TCW Inc., Savannah, Georgia;
Theldorine Sova, Prime Inc., Sacramento,
California; James Starr, Groendyke Transportation,
Wichita, Kansas; Clarence Taylor,
Walmart Transportation, North Chesterfield,
Virginia; Paul Wahlster, Holland, Rolling Prairie,
Indiana; Nicolette Weaver, FedEx Freight,
New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania; Todd Wilemon,
ABF Freight, Fulton, Mississippi; James
Gragg Wilson, FedEx Freight, Reno, Nevada;
and Ronald Vandermark, UPS Freight; Delran,
New Jersey. 8
USPS 972
Volume 31, Number 21
November 1-14, 2018
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